Finally, a slick, addictive outing that Keira Knightley can sink her creative teeth into. The Love Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean star headlines Black Doves, the new espionage thriller on Netflix. It’s a plot-twist-filled drama that finds Knightley as a conflicted spy whose personal life, career, and past suddenly collide. It’s a career high for the actress, who is in great company with a solid cast featuring Ben Whishaw (No Time to Die, TV’s Fargo), Sarah Lancashire (Julia, Happy Valley), Wallace Webb, Omari Douglas, and Sam Troughton.
Creator Joe Barton (The Lazarus Project) immediately establishes a terrific balance of intrigue and exceptional character development in this Christmas spy thriller, which delivers some of the most captivating storytelling in episodic television this year. Think of how well the series Slow Horses or even Hunters so beautifully created a complex world in which we, as the audience, were allowed to so easily slip into, and want to return to. That’s how it is in Black Doves.
Addictive From the Very First Episode
Knightley plays Helen Webb, a steely spy capable of slipping into top spots in British government. She’s taken on a false identity as a wife and mother of twins. Her husband, Wallace (Andrew Buchan), is high up in the government ranks, and this gives her an ideal place to hide as she helps the secret spy organization known as the Black Doves with all sorts of spy and espionage matters.
When Helen’s lover, Jason (Andrew Koji), and two others who have been in contact with him are assassinated, Lancashire’s big boss, Reed, pays a secret visit to Helen, and suddenly, everybody wants to know who’s responsible for the killings and why. The series establishes its mission right there, and the feverish pace — a thrill from beginning to end — rarely lets up.
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“You should see her,” muses Reed upon meeting with Sam (Whishaw), a secret government assassin who’s worked with Helen in the past. “The husband, the house, the twins…” Reed is amused by the ruse. She wants Sam to track Helen in an effort to learn more about the mysterious deaths. “You want me to hunt an assassin,” Sam counters, but off he goes.
Ben Whishaw & Keira Knightley Make a Great Pair
Sam arrives on scene at a pivotal moment in Episode 1 when Helen’s life is in danger. Suddenly, Helen and Sam make a vow to track down the killer. Watch how Whishaw shines throughout this outing. Yes, because he’s a stellar actor, but also because his character is a refreshing surprise — a queer assassin with a captivating backstory. Bring it on.
By Episode 2, flashbacks give us context for how Helen wound up working for the Black Doves and why she married Wallace. There’s something to appreciate about how the series establishes a template for its gripping action scenes, and the great dialogue between Sam and Helen. At one point, Sam turns to Helen and commends her for being so tough — all this after surviving an explosion. Helen scowls: “You should see how I pushed two human beings out of my vagina on a Wednesday afternoon.”
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It’s like that here. And it becomes wickedly fun, fast, and furiously entertaining. Notice how smoothly the showrunner floats characters in and out of episodes, how perfectly new layers are uncovered every step of the way, and how wonderfully we’re taken into London’s mysterious after-midnight underworld, where Helen experiences everything from big blasts, attacks, and stabbings, and then seemingly can return to bed beside her husband. Nice way to compartmentalize, Helen.
Welcome to the Best New Spy Thriller Streaming Right Now
“Some things should be left in the past,” Sam’s friend tells him at one point. “Some things should be pulled from it.” That becomes more than just a throwaway line. As the six-episode first season plays out, each episode gives viewers a deeper look into who these characters are and how they became who they are. These flashes back to the past are handled well, and showrunner Joe Barton effectively proves himself as a savvy storyteller, knowing how to up the stakes in each and every episode.
Things take a significant turn in the story when the Chinese ambassador to the UK is suddenly found dead of a possible heroin overdose. Worse, his free-spirited daughter is missing. This sets up a chain of events with both the spies and the government wondering if the “Yanks” killed the ambassador. Meanwhile, whoever is responsible for Jason’s killing also wants to retrieve something vital Jason may have left behind, which makes Helen a prime target. Reed grows suspicious of her, setting up a fine conflict for both characters to continually work through.
Look for the great Kathryn Hunter to win you over as Lenny — looking good in a fabulous tracksuit, honey — somebody from Sam’s shady past who wants something out of him now. Ella Lily Hyland and Gabrielle Creevy are a groovy delight playing hip, younger gender-neutral assassins. These unique creative nuances filter into the entire series, revealing it to be incredibly well-thought-out and mindful, and wonderfully committed to great storytelling and fully realized characters.
Sure, the series occasionally tends be a guilty if not pulpy pleasure, but as the action picks up in the latter episodes, and the espionage kaleidoscope swirls round and round, you really can’t take your eyes off it. Big applause for the production value throughout, too. Bottom line: Knightley is brilliant, a true force of nature, and Whishaw becomes the series’ breakout star. You’ll want Season 2 sooner rather than later. So, queue up this bold and brilliant surprise. It’s a keeper. Black Doves is streaming on Netlfix. You can watch it through the link below.
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